New York based hat company B.M. Franklin & Co has made its way to the Dirty South and found a new home in Buckhead. Brandon Franklin created the company in 2014, and just last week he opened a second shop in Atlanta’s Buckhead Village. The perfect spot for all of the timeless, eclectic and unique hats that are made by hand everyday in his store.

Being an entrepreneur and owning a company is an incredible feat, but it’s no easy thing to do. Add in a global pandemic and that brings about a whole new set of obstacles in itself. But for Franklin, it just pushed him to keep going and in the midst of a pandemic, he prevailed.

If you’ve never really been into hats, stepping into this store will make it hard for you to leave without wanting one. Franklin and his associates are extremely knowledgeable and helpful with finding, creating and customizing the perfect hat for each customer. He said the trick to getting a good hat is to find one that flatters your facial features and head shape the best. What might look really good on one person could look completely different on another and that just shows the specificity that goes into each hat.

It takes a lot of work and love to make just one hat. If you’re curious about the process, B.M. Franklin & Co offers hatmaking classes which are very informational and something different to do. During the class, I learned that it takes three things to make a hat: heat, pressure and water. I also had the opportunity to be hands-on and cut the brim of a hat with Franklin’s help.

Now more than ever, it’s important to support black-owned businesses. So if you’ve been on the hunt for a new, stylish hat or want to take a hatmaking class, stop in B.M. Franklin & Co the next time you’re at Buckhead Village.

Leave a comment if you’d rock one of B.M. Franklin & Co’s hats! :)